This invention relates to changing standard saddles or clamps used in securing a corporation stop or gate valve to a fully pressurized fluid transmission pipeline, for reasons of simplification the saddles, clamps, corporation stops and gate valves, hereinafter will be called service valve fittings.
A major application of this invention is the changing of service valve fittings. Because many of these fittings were made of highly corrosive material that disintegrate after prolonged usage. This disintegrating process causes fluid leaks that requires immediate attention. In addition the corrosive process also reduces the flow of fluid, by constricting the aperture in the service valve fitting.
The present procedure in changing service valve fittings on pressurized transmission pipelines has been to turn off the main transmission pipeline valves, which depressurizes the section of line where the service valve fitting needs to be replaced. This process requires time to notify the consumers, and time to turn the valves off and on.
Another problem with this procedure is the possibility of contaminating the depressurized section of the transmission line by creating a vacumn between the old service valve fitting aperture and any any other aperture in the transmission pipeline. An example of this would be a siphoning effect from any service valve connections elevated above the transmission main. Another problem can take place after replacing the service valve fitting and then turning on the transmission pipeline valves, the problem exists in the possibility of damaging the pipelines involved, by creating a fluid hammer.